Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-03
CITY AND DISTRICT.
The Facts Collected by Capt. Griffin's
Corps Of Observers.


Corps Of Observers.
THE STATISTICS OF ONE WEEKS TRAVEL OVER SOME
OF THE PRINCIPAL SUBURBAN HIGHwAYs-THE
HEAVY TRAFFIC. ON THE 7TH STREET RoAD-THE
ORDER OF IMPORTANCE OF THESE ROADS, &C.
The report upon the traffic observations made by
Capt. Griffin, of the engineer department of the
Dlstrict government, to determine the character
and volume OF traffc upon the principal high
ways leading into the city, some points Of which
nave been given in THE STAR, says that stations
LOT OBSERVATIONS were selected on 9TH street at
Boundary and at Brightwood, 14th street at
Brightwood, Anacostia bridge, Benning's road at
BOUNDARY, Bladensburg road at Boundary, Ten
leytoWn road at WoOdley lane, canal road at Chain
bridge and canal road above Chain bridge.
The record at the station at the Canal road, at
Chain bridge, gives the total traffic over the Chain
bridge. The record at the station above the Chain
bridge, gives the traffic on the Canal road est Of
the Chain bridge The maximum traffic on 14th
street and ON the Canal road could not be deter
mined at Br1ghtwoOd and the Chain bridge; these
stations Were liked, however, by economical con-
Sideration, 1t being necessary to reduce the num-
Der OF observers to minimum. The observations
were continuous for one week from a. m. Mon
day, FEBRUARY, 14th, to a. IN. Monday February
Dist Three observers were stationed at 18th street
anu the boundary and at the Anacostia bridge;
two were found sufficient at each OF the other sta
lions, making II observers In all.
THOUSANDS OF MEN AND HORSES.
During the week there were observed and re-
corded at the six stations 3D. AS wagons and car
rlages, 4S,646 horses, not including those with
street cars; So 7O7 passengers on horseback and
vehicles including street cars; 471l9 foot passen-
gers, i, lao loads OF farm produce.
To determine the tonnage One-hOrse carriages
We're averaged at one,half ton each, two-horse
carriages at one ton each, and wagons at one ton
per horse. On this basis the total volume Of traffic
observed was 41,626 TONS distributed as follows:
7th street, at Boundary, total 1,212 tons; daily
average, ,6O1; Anacostia bridge, 7,47S tons; daily
average, LOGS; Bennings road, 5,452 tons; daily
road d day
average, 672; It'll street, at BrghtwoOd, 4,55S
TONS: daily average 651; Chain bridge, O33 tons;
tons; daily average, ia; Canal road (west, 80;
daily average, ii.
COMPARED WITH OTHER STREETS
The average daily tonnage on 9TH street, at the
Boundary, Is greater, Capt. Griffin says. than that
on Arch street and Court Square, Boston; Chest
nut and Olive streets, St. Louis; st. Charles street.
New orleans; 9TH street, between ID and f. and
9th street, Washington: Main and Linwood streets
Buffalo; TN street, Louisville, and Farnham
street, Omaha, as given in Greene'S 'ObservationS
OF Street Traffic"
These are all centrally located and important
city streets AS regards horses, vehicles and pas
sengers the report Shows that at 7th street Boun-
dary, the daily average Of horses was 1,S16; vehi
cles per cent OF carriages to total, pa, and
persons IN vehicles and on horseback, 19,44O. At
Anacostia bridge the daily average OF horses was
1O42, vehicles, S62 per cent of carriages total
daily average OF horses was $50: vehicles 5s5;
per cent OF carriages TO total, 1876, and
persons, $50. At TenIeytown road the
536; per cent OF carriages to total, 327
and persons, 7,473; at Bladensburg road the daily
average OF horses was 49, vehicles 527 per cent OF
carriages to total 23O, and persons, 5,5O7; at Ba-
densburg road, Br1ghtwOod, the daily average OF
horses was $50, vehicles 4. per cent of carriages
the daily average OF horses was 3O7, vehicles 1913,
per cent OF carriages to total 164, and persons,
2721; at 14th street, Brightwood, the daily aver
age of horses was 16o vehicles 1O1, per cent OF
carriages to total 54.S and persons 230: at Canal
road (west} the daily average Of horses was 49,
vehicles H. per cent OF carriages to total 3S and
persons 1 TO 4.
THE NUMBER OF CARRIAGES.
The character OF the traffic Is shown by the
per cent OF carriages to total. On the Chain
bridge road 1874 per cent OF the vehicles were car
rages, While 1886 were wagons. On 7th street at
Boundary ga We're carriages and 776 wagons
while on 14th street 54S were carriages TO 453
wagons. AT 9TH street and Boundary Is. 40 indi-
viduals were counted in wagons carriages, street
cars and horseback and 26 .2O on loot Here the
foot passengers predominant, was to be eX-
pected. AT Chain bridge, however, 2,72l ride
numbers are nearly equal QO,04O to 1866
ITO loads OF farm produce were recorded
as follows: Hay. 80: corn, 26O; potatoes, PIP;
respectively over the 7th street road at Bright
wood, Bennings, Tenleytown, 7th street at BOun-
Diary, Badensbu!g, etc.
considerable variations, continues Capt. Crit
fin, ''are noticeable in the amount OF traffic On
the whole, so far as can be judged, the state Of
the weather seems to exercise little influence on
the daily tonnage. the same Is true as regards
pedestrians. Judging from these observations
alone, the relative Importance OF the principal
county roads is as follows: l. 7th street; 2. Ben
ning's; 3. TenleytOwn; 4. Bladensburg: ). Canal
Road; 9. l4th street upper portion. The Ana
costa bridge carries all the traffic from Anacostia
and the southeastern portion Of the District.
The distribution OF this traffic over the roads be-
yOnd the Eastern branch can only be approximately
estimated. Nearly all the travel over the Chain
bridge comes over the canal road, and constitutes
but one factor, though perhaps the most import
ant, OF the traffic sustained by that highway The
relative positions OF the Bennings Tenleytown and
Bladensburg roads Is somewhat uneX pected. The
differences are SMALL however, and would seem TO
Indicate that these three roads are OF nearly equal
Importance.
The upper part Of 18th street is merely cut off
from the 7th street road, and being unimprOved
its low position on the list be expected OBJ
SeryatiOnS at ii street and Boundary would show
greatly increased totals.
THE SEVENTH STREET ROAD.
The heavy traffic recorded on 7th street explains
the great cost OF maintaining the roadway OF this
thOroughfare and lends weight to the recommen-
dalton contained in my last annual report, that a
stone block pavement be laid on that portion OF
these observations 1t will be economy to carry
such pavement to the top OF the Hill and to thor
Oughly macadam1Ze the full width OF the roadway
at least as far as BrightwOod."
A suggestive Offer.